Voices of Justice: Qualitative Approaches to Crime and Society

This course introduces the qualitative methods and techniques used in criminal justice research. The goal of this course is to help learners develop an understanding of the kinds of qualitative research conducted in the criminal justice field, how to read and critically interpret this research [e.g., reading journal articles that use these methods], and how to develop the skills required to design their own research. Learners will learn the basics of qualitative research design, including the identification of qualitative research questions/hypotheses, a critical appraisal of existing literature, the selection of appropriate research methods to answer the questions, and the development of the research design incorporating ethical issues and kaupapa Maori research principles as appropriate. Learners will understand how to use qualitative research methods, including thematic analysis, content analysis, narrative and discourse analysis, and Grounded theory and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).